The roughness of surfaces is an important parameter, affecting many issues. For example, smooth planar surfaces may be used to reflect and redirect a beam of light. In contrast, rough surfaces may be used to disperse a light beam. As another example, smooth and rough surfaces also differ in the drag they induce on surrounding fluid flow.
A mechanism that can switch on and switch off surface roughness is therefore a desirable enabling technology that can be used in optical applications, drag reduction applications and many more applications, where modulating the surface roughness can result in controlling another physical property.
The present invention describes method and system for achieving on/off switching of surface roughness.